Temperature effects on hatching and viability of Juvenile Gill Lice, Salmincola californiensis.

Salmonids of the genus Oncorhynchus, distributed throughout the Pacific Rim, can be infected by the gill lice species Salmincola californiensis (Dana, 1852), which makes them one of the most broadly distributed gill lice species. Despite their broad distribution and valuable obligate salmonid hosts, relatively little is known about S. californiensis. We evaluated effects of temperature on timing of S. californiensis hatching and survival of copepodids, and provide information on brood size and variability. Our results suggest that temperature was a primary driver of timing of S. californiensis hatching and post-hatching survival. Prior to this study, the free-swimming stage of S. californiensis was reported to survive approximately 2 days without a suitable host. We observed active copepodids 13 days after hatch with some individuals from most (>90%) viable egg sacs at all temperature treatments surviving ≥5 days. Our findings indicate that warmer temperatures could increase development rates of gill lice at certain life stages, potentially increasing fecundity. This information coupled with predictions that warmer water temperatures could intensify crowding of coldwater fishes, stress, and parasite transmission suggests that climate change could exacerbate negative effects of S. californiensis on ecologically and economically important salmonids.

[Evaluation of telephone assessment in stroke and TIA recurrence]. / Evaluación de la revisión telefónica en la recurrencia de ictus y AIT.

INTRODUCTION: Stroke recurrence is an important issue in stroke registries, but direct patient contact months after stroke is not always feasible. Telephone assessment is often used to evaluate long term stroke outcome, treatments and recurrences. Our aim is to evaluate telephone interview in a stroke registry. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three hundred and eighty patients with a stroke or TIA were prospectively registered, evaluating baseline characteristics and type of event. At 6 months, 248 patients were reviewed by structured telephone interview and 132 were reviewed by direct contact. We analysed stroke outcome and disability, treatments and stroke or TIA recurrences. RESULTS: There were no differences in baseline characteristics and type or severity of the index event. At 6 months, treatments were similar between both groups and 10.5% (40 patients) had a recurrent event. There were no differences in recurrent ischaemic strokes (6.1% in direct contact vs 4.4% telephone, P=.49), but we detected a higher number of TIA in direct examination compared to phone interview (9.1% vs 4.0%, P=.04). CONCLUSIONS: Telephone assessment of stroke patients is reliable and facilitates stroke registries in detecting long-term treatments and stroke recurrences. However, it is probable that new transient events or TIA are under-estimated.

Cytochemical and developmental changes in microbodies (glyoxysomes) and related organelles of castor bean endosperm.

Structural changes in endosperm cells of germinating castor beans were examined and complemented with a cytochemical analysis of staining with diaminobenzidine (DAB). Deposition of oxidized DAB occurred only in microbodies due to the presence of catalase, and in cell walls associated with peroxidase activity. Seedling development paralleled the disappearance of spherosomes (lipid bodies) and matrix of aleurone grains in endosperm cells. 6 to 7 days after germination, a cross-section through the endosperm contained cells in all stages of development and senescence beginning at the seed coat and progressing inward to the cotyledons. Part of this aging process involved vacuole formation by fusion of aleurone grain membranes. This coincided with an increase in microbodies (glyoxsomes), mitochondria, plastids with an elaborate tubular network, and the formation of a new protein body referred to as a dilated cisterna, which is structurally and biochemically distinct from microbodies although both apparently develop from rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In vacuolate cells microbodies are the most numerous organelle and are intimately associated with spherosomes and dilated cisternae. This phenomenon is discussed in relation to the biochemical activities of these organelles. Turnover of microbodies involves sequestration into autophagic vacuoles as intact organelles which still retain catalase activity. Crystalloids present in microbodies develop by condensation of matrix protein and are the principal site of catalase formerly in the matrix.

Lung cancer mortality trends by geographical area in Spanish women, 1980-2005.

OBJECTIVE: To provide up-to-date information and analyse recent changes in lung cancer mortality trends among women. DESIGN: The present study analysed subjects by geographical area in Spain during the period 1980-2005 using joinpoint regression models. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASR) for lung cancer were computed from death certificate data obtained from the official authorities in Spain. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify the years when significant changes in the linear slope of the temporal trend occurred. RESULTS: The overall ASR changed during the period studied from 5.7 per 100,000 women in 1980 to 8.2/100,000 in 2005, with an average annual increase of 1.7%. Joinpoint regression analysis detected different trends in most Spanish communities. These changes occurred in the late 1980s or early 1990s. ASR among those women aged 35-64 years doubled during the period of study, from 5.6 in 1980 to 11.3 in 2005. CONCLUSIONS: Time trends in lung cancer mortality among women are increasing sharply, especially in the age group 35-64 years, indicating the start of an epidemic phenomenon of lung cancer in women.

[Recent changes in prostate cancer mortality in Spain. Trends analysis from 1991 to 2005]. / Cambios recientes en la mortalidad por cáncer de próstata en España: estudio de tendencias en el período 1991-2005.

OBJECTIVE: [corrected] To describe the evolution of prostate cancer mortality in Spain during the period 1991-2005. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A trend analysis for age standardized mortality rates (European standard population) was performed, using joinpoint regression analysis, which allows estimation of the annual percent change of rates and to find significant changes in such trend. RESULTS: Age standardized mortality rates in Spain reached their peak value in 1996. The joinpoint analysis identified two different periods in the trend of the age standardized rates: a first one of increase in rates between 1991 and 1996 (2.1% annual increase) and a second period starting in 1996, in which rates decline at an annual rate of 2.7%. CONCLUSION: The tendency of prostate cancer seen in Spain resembles that of industrialized areas, with an increase in its age standardized death rates that suffers a downturn by the end of the past decade. Mortality declines for prostate cancer are now evident in 14 out of the 17 Autonomous Communities. Increases in PSA screening and better treatment of early-stage disease, possibly acting in combination, remain plausible hypotheses.

Age-period-cohort analysis of lung cancer mortality rates in Andalusia, 1975-2004.

Our objective is to describe lung cancer mortality trends in Andalusia, Spain, during the period 1975-2004 using age-period-cohort analysis (APC). For each gender, age-standardised (European Standard Population) mortality rates from lung cancer were computed based on the causes of death on the death certificates from the official registry of vital statistics in Andalusia. In men, after climbing considerably from 1975 to 1994, adjusted lung cancer mortality rates, have been declining by 0.8% per year since 1994. For women, the mortality from lung cancer was almost constant but tended to increase after 1994 (average annual increase of 2.1%). Among males, the cohort effect was steadily and appreciably upwards to the cohort born around 1905, then levelled off, and declined in the youngest generations. An increasing period effect was also observed until 1995. For females, cohort values decreased until the cohort born around 1930, then levelled off, and increased for women born since 1940. Period effect trend was downward until 1990, and upward thereafter. In conclusion, the cohort effect observed for women born since 1940 suggests the start of a lung cancer epidemic associated with a higher prevalence of smokers in women. The decrease in prevalence of smokers among males and the decrease in mortality in younger age groups suggest that the trend initiated in 1994 will continue as long as smoking prevalence continues to decrease.

Myoglobin as an ultrastructural probe for studying permeability of the nephron.

Hemeproteins, like cytochrome c (12,500 M.W.; Karnovsky and Rice, 1969) and myoglobin (17,816 M.W.; Anderson, 1972; Simionescu et al., 1973) are advantageous over the true peroxidases with larger molecular weights (e.g. horseradish peroxidase, ca. 40,000 M.W) as ultrastructural probes in that they do not elicit vascular leakage in the inflammatory response (Cotran and Karnovsky, 1967) and are relatively nontoxic immunologically inert substances. The main disadvantage in using cytochrome c and myoglobin is that they have weak peroxidatic activity compared to the true peroxidases (Nakamura et al., 1960; Keilin, 1961; Kurozimi et al., 1961). These hemeproteins, however, offer the following advantages: 1) they retain sufficient peroxidatic activity after aldehyde-fixation to oxidize 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB), 2) they may be localized by virtue of an insoluble reaction product (osmium black) deposited at the site of hemeprotein immobilization by fixation, and 3) they represent low molecular weight probes. This brief report emphasizes the advantages of myoglobin in the study of glomerular permeability, transport by endocytosis in proximal tubules and translocation of protein in the lower segments of the nephron.

Peroxisome development in the metanephric kidney of mouse.

The relationship of enzymatic activity to organelle development and organelle number during differentiation of the metanephric kidney in the mouse was approached from several experimental directions. Biochemical analyses of marker enzymes for peroxisomes (catalase and D-amino acid oxidase), mitochondria (cytochrome oxidase) and lysosomes (acid phosphatase) were performed on kidneys at ages from 17 days prenatal to adult. These data were correlated with a morphometric analysis of populations of peroxisomes and mitochondria in differentiating cells of the proximal tubule. Postnatal development of the metanephric kidney was found to be accompanied by a rapid increase in both the specific activity of catalase and the number of peroxisomes per 100 mu2 in the proximal tubule during the first 4 weeks of postnatal growth. Elaboration of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was seen to parallel the increase in number of peroxisomes to which segments of ER were often in close apposition. Extensive interactions between segments of ER and peroxisomes were readily visible in 0.5-mu sections viewed in the high voltage electron microscope. In contrast to peroxisomes, neither mitochondria nor lysosomes followed a similar pattern of net organelle increase, suggesting that a defined population density of mitochondria and lysosomes may exist in the proximal tubule at birth, prior to complete development of the kidney.

Epidemiology of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in southern Spain.

In order to investigate the impact of Pneumocystis carinii infection in southern Spain following the introduction of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), all cases of pneumocystosis between 1998 and 1999 were identified from data compiled by the national surveillance system. In total, 498 cases of pneumocystosis were recorded, of which 87% involved HIV-positive patients. The mean age, length of hospital stay and mortality were higher for HIV-negative patients. There was a higher number of cases in winter. Despite HAART implementation, pneumocystosis remains a significant health problem for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.

Monolignol ferulate transferase introduces chemically labile linkages into the lignin backbone.

Redesigning lignin, the aromatic polymer fortifying plant cell walls, to be more amenable to chemical depolymerization can lower the energy required for industrial processing. We have engineered poplar trees to introduce ester linkages into the lignin polymer backbone by augmenting the monomer pool with monolignol ferulate conjugates. Herein, we describe the isolation of a transferase gene capable of forming these conjugates and its xylem-specific introduction into poplar. Enzyme kinetics, in planta expression, lignin structural analysis, and improved cell wall digestibility after mild alkaline pretreatment demonstrate that these trees produce the monolignol ferulate conjugates, export them to the wall, and use them during lignification. Tailoring plants to use such conjugates during cell wall biosynthesis is a promising way to produce plants that are designed for deconstruction.

Lung cancer mortality in Spain: estimating the future burden to the year 2028.

OBJECTIVE: To use lung cancer mortality rates from 1979 to 2008 in Andalusia, southern Spain (population >8,000,000), to provide an estimate of the future number of deaths for the period 2009-2028. DESIGN: The numbers of lung cancer deaths from 1979 to 2008 were obtained from the Andalusian Institute for Statistics (AIS). Data were arranged in 5-year age groups using an age-period-cohort model. Age-standardised rates (ASR) per 100, 000 were calculated for males and females. Population projections for Andalusia 2009-2028 were downloaded from the AIS database. RESULTS: In males, the ASR varied from 46.1 in 2004-2008 to 34.6 in 2024-2028, with a projected 33% decrease. In females, the ASR varied from 4.9 in 2004-2008 to 8.9 per 100,000 in 2024-2028, with a projected 45% increase. This reflects an annual change of -1.3% for males and of +2.7% for females for the period 2009-2028. The sex ratio is projected to drop from a male:female ratio of 11 (1979-1983) to 3.8 (2024-2028). CONCLUSIONS: Our projections emphasise the significance of a continuously increasing trend in female lung cancer mortality, with a drop in the projected sex ratio.